Eve Air Mobility and NATS Services, the commercial arm of the U.K.’s leading air traffic control services provider, announced at the Dubai Airshow they would partner to develop future traffic management services for urban air mobility (UAM) operators worldwide.

The companies signed a memorandum of understanding to reinforce the partnership designed to advance technologies for a faster, more efficient and sustainable urban air transportation system.

“Our first association with NATS began in early 2021 as part of the U.K. UAM Consortium with the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority Regulatory Sandbox, developing a concept of operations for the London environment, including air traffic management arrangements and proposing new regulatory solutions,” said Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve. “Our work with NATS throughout the years both fortifies our newly established relationship and supports our forthcoming projects and future endeavors designed to transform the urban air mobility sector globally.”

The Eve-led U.K. concept of operations was developed in partnership with the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and global companies, including NATS as well as six other members, using data to focus on the technologies needed for near-term UAM deployment in London. The CAA published the Phase 1 results of the Future Air Mobility Regulatory Sandbox project in October 2021, highlighting eVTOL strengths and the challenges that will inform future developments in the UAM industry.

Eve and NATS have also been part of the Future Flight Challenge through the Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium (AMEC) with leading British aviation companies since July 2022. Developed by U.K. research and innovation and delivered by Innovate U.K., the program is funded by the U.K. government and aims to accelerate the progress of new technologies and advanced aviation technologies while attempting to demonstrate the societal benefits of advanced aviation, the companies said

“We already work closely with Eve as part of the U.K. Future Flight Phase 3 AMEC project, working to prepare U.K. airspace for future UAM operations,” said NATS Services Managing Director Guy Adams. “Going forward, we intend to grow our collaborative efforts to explore future traffic management products and solutions worldwide and enable the introduction and scaling of UAM across many countries in a consistent, high-performance and safe approach.”

Eve’s Urban air traffic management software is an agnostic solution that will enable the integration of all airspace users in the urban environment, the company said, which is “critical to supporting the safety, efficiency, and improvement of the entire UAM ecosystem, including fleet and vertiport operators.”

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Based on records from the FAA and NASA reviewed by The New York Times, safety standards in air traffic are frequently breached. (Photo: Desiree Rios for The New York Times)

Recent incidents have thrust the safety of air travel in the U.S. into the spotlight. An investigation by The New York Times has revealed a disconcerting number of close calls in the skies and runways of the country, even though the U.S. has not experienced any major plane crashes in over a decade.

• In New Orleans on July 2, a Southwest Airlines pilot narrowly avoided a collision when aborting a landing, as a Delta Air Lines 737 prepared for take-off on the same runway.
• In San Francisco on July 11, an American Airlines jet narrowly missed a Frontier Airlines plane during take-off. Another German airliner faced a similar situation moments later. 
• A few weeks later, an American Airlines flight bound for Dallas had to swiftly ascend 700 feet to avoid a United Airlines plane, due to an error by an air traffic controller.

There were 46 close calls involving commercial airlines last month, many of which were not publicly disclosed.

On average, close calls happen multiple times a week.

The majority of incidents occur due to human errors near or at airports. A significant contributing factor is the nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers.

While some incidents make the news, many remain undisclosed.

Based on records from the FAA and NASA reviewed by The New York Times, safety standards in air traffic are frequently breached. Despite many of these incidents not resulting in crashes, their frequency is concerning.

The U.S. aviation system, catering to almost three million passengers daily, prides itself on its safety record. However, recent close calls have raised eyebrows among industry insiders, leading to fears of a potential tragic incident in the future. Numerous confidential safety reports corroborate this rising concern.

One glaring oversight is the lack of runway warning systems at many U.S. airports, despite recommendations from safety experts. The most pressing issue, however, remains the chronic understaffing of air traffic control facilities. This strain leads to overworked controllers, risking their ability to operate efficiently and safely.

Major airlines have reaffirmed their commitment to safety, emphasizing their heavy investments in training and technology. They also argue that the lack of major crashes underscores the system’s efficacy.

The FAA acknowledges the multi-layered safety approach has played a crucial role in preventing fatalities. Their current objective is to reduce close calls to zero. The agency also admits to an increase in runway incursions, although there has been an improvement since 2018. The FAA cites funding constraints as a reason for not installing more runway warning systems but is implementing other measures to bolster safety.

However, air traffic controllers, on conditions of anonymity, have expressed that the FAA’s actions are not sufficient. They paint a grim picture, highlighting extreme fatigue, plummeting morale, and a rising tendency to take shortcuts, which could potentially lead to tragic accidents.

A vast majority of U.S. air traffic control facilities are understaffed. The roots of this issue trace back to the 1980s when the Reagan administration replaced striking controllers. The pandemic further exacerbated staffing challenges, as training slowed due to health restrictions and many controllers retired.

Many controllers are working on a rotating schedule that can lead to physical and psychological exhaustion. This fatigue, coupled with mandatory overtime, has been identified as a significant factor contributing to potential safety hazards.

Over the years, there have been numerous warnings about the state of U.S. air safety. The Department of Transportation’s inspector general has highlighted increasing “losses of separation” incidents, while the National Transportation Safety Board has called for better runway collision alert systems. However, the FAA has made limited progress in implementing new surface detection systems.

The FAA has requested additional funds to train and recruit 1,800 new controllers in the 2024 fiscal year. However, the anticipated loss of over 1,400 controllers next year means that the staffing gap will remain a pressing concern.

Ben Dorks, CEO of Ideagen—a provider of global regulatory and compliance software—shared comments with Avionics International in response to the New York Times article.

“Aviation bosses know this is an issue. We recently spoke to 500 CEOs from a range of regulated industries around the world and 47% of those in aviation said safety is a key investment priority over the next 18 months.

“But in order to have a thorough understanding of how to mitigate risk, you need a complete view of safety intelligence and our research also revealed that more than half (53%) were using a number of different systems to manage their compliance, safety, and risk, and these weren’t integrated, so the picture is fragmented.

“That becomes even more important when you’re having to do more with less. The skills shortages are having a crippling effect across many regulated industries. In our research, more than half of the CEOs we spoke to said mental health absence is their biggest risk to resilience and almost a quarter said staff shortages.”

“There’s a recognition among the C-suite that this is something they need to address. Aviation can afford you a rewarding, valuable career, but it’s also incredibly high risk and that pressure is felt by those working in it. Technology is a real enabler here to do some of that heavy lifting, relieve some of that pressure, and free highly-trained, skilled workers to add value where it matters most.”

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On Monday, because of a technical issue with the flight planning system used by air traffic control, NATS put traffic flow restrictions in place that led to delays and cancelations of flights in the UK. (Photo: NATS)

NATS, the UK’s leading provider of air traffic control services, made a statement on Monday that an ongoing technical issue was affecting its flight planning system. Traffic flow restrictions were put in place as of 12:10 UK time. Thirty minutes later, NATS clarified, “UK airspace is not closed, we have had to apply air traffic flow restrictions which ensures we can maintain safety.”

By 15:15 UK time, the issue was located and fixed. NATS explained, “The flight planning issue affected the system’s ability to automatically process flight plans, meaning that flight plans had to be processed manually which cannot be done at the same volume, hence the requirement for traffic flow restrictions.”

According to BBC’s coverage of the situation, “Several airports across the UK, and airlines including Ryanair, EasyJet, Wizz Air, Loganair and Aer Lingus have all warned passengers of delays or cancellations to flights.”

“Bank Holiday Monday is one of the busiest days of the year, as many people return from long weekend trips abroad,” travel journalist Simon Calder told BBC News. 

Sune Engsig, VP of product development at software automation platform Leapwork, made the following comments on the situation:

“Aviation, like many industries, relies on a patchwork of old and new technologies and software components that have evolved over time. With every update and new technology that comes along, entire processes and workflows need to be re-tested to check things work as they should, and the result is that thinly stretched IT teams have a lot to juggle. While we can’t be sure [of] the exact nature of an outage, more often than not they are caused by human error because quality assurance teams don’t have the right tools available to them to help manage all these tests quickly and efficiently.

“As we continue to digitize the world around us, industries like aviation—where there are a lot of mission-critical processes—need to take a deeper look at how automation tools can help them stay on top of day-to-day quality assurance so routine updates don’t cause outages, and allow their skilled teams to focus on the most high-value tasks.”

Juliet Kennedy, Operations Director at NATS, made a statement on Monday evening. “The issue earlier meant that our automatic system, which provides controllers with details of every aircraft and its route, wasn’t working,” Kennedy said. “Instead, to manage safety, we had to limit the number of flights we could manage.”

She added, “It will take some time for flights to return to normal, and we will continue to work with airlines and airports to recover the situation. Our absolute priority is safety, and we will be investigating very thoroughly what happened today.”

Juliet Kennedy spoke with Avionics International a few years ago about how the ANSP sees space-based ADS-B as a game changer for traffic management in the North Atlantic airspace. “Aircraft flying across the Atlantic have to follow prescribed routes at set speeds and heights because we only receive position reports from them every 14 minutes,” she commented. “As a result, separation standards have to be far greater than over terrestrial airspace, with at least 30 nautical miles separating aircraft laterally and 40 nautical miles longitudinally.”

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A potential collision scenario was avoided at San Diego International Airport when the facility’s automated surface surveillance system raised an alert regarding the proximity of two aircraft. (Photo: SanDiego.org)

A go-around incident involving a Cessna Citation business jet and a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 has prompted an official investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The event, which unfolded shortly before noon local time on August 11 at San Diego International Airport, has raised questions about air traffic coordination and safety protocols.

According to the FAA’s initial statement, an air traffic controller had given the pilot of the Cessna Citation business jet clearance to land on Runway 27. The same controller directed Southwest Flight 2493, operated by a Boeing 737, to taxi onto the same runway, instructing them to await further departure commands.

A potential collision scenario was averted when the facility’s automated surface surveillance system raised an alert regarding the proximity of the two aircraft. Recognizing the imminent conflict, the air traffic controller instructed the pilot of the Cessna Citation to discontinue its landing approach and execute a go-around, ensuring the safety of both aircraft and their occupants.

The FAA responded by dispatching a team of experts to the airport to undertake a comprehensive investigation into the series of events leading up to the go-around. One significant aspect of this review will be to determine the closest proximity between the two involved aircraft.

On Saturday, Southwest said that it is participating in the review of the incident conducted by the FAA. “Our aircraft departed without event and the flight operated normally, with a safe landing in San Jose as scheduled,” said Chris Mainz, a spokesperson for the airline, in a statement.

(Photo: Saab)

While no injuries or damages were reported, incidents of this nature underscore the importance of seamless coordination in the dense air traffic environment surrounding busy airports. Automated systems like the surface surveillance system play a crucial role in enhancing situational awareness for air traffic controllers, and this incident serves as a reminder of the dual role of technology and human vigilance in maintaining the safety and efficiency of our skies.

The San Diego International Airport has Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X) installed, as do at least 34 other airports in the U.S. The ASDE-X system uses radar, multilateration, and satellite technology to notify air traffic controllers of potential runway conflicts.

The company Saab offers air traffic control products such as cooperative surveillance sensors (multilateration and ADS-B), surface movement radars, and decision support tools for air traffic controllers.

“Situations develop quickly on an airfield,” according to Rick Smith, Saab Director of FAA Programs. “A combined audio and video alert is used to notify air traffic controllers before an incident can occur so that they can quickly prevent it. Air traffic controllers must trust our data is correct to give accurate and effective control measures and keep aircraft and people safe.”

According to the FAA, ASDE-X uses data from the following sources:

• Surface surveillance radar located on top of the air traffic control tower and/or surface surveillance radar located on a remote tower
• Multilateration sensors located around the airport
• Airport Surveillance Radars such as the ASR-9
• Automatic Dependent Surveillance — Broadcast (ADS-B) sensors
• Terminal automation system to obtain flight plan data.

(Photo: FAA)

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The latest in air traffic management: an adaptive tracking solution for aerial targets, a model for entity recognition in cyber threat detection, and real-time flight arrival prediction (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Darren Newell)

In the heart of the complex and rapidly evolving world of air transportation, pioneering research continues to illuminate new paths towards improved operations, heightened security, and increasingly accurate predictions. The latest special issue of peer-reviewed journal Aerospace—entitled “Advances in Air Traffic and Airspace Control and Management”—features several interesting research papers that each tackle a unique facet of the aviation industry’s most pressing challenges. From an adaptive tracking solution for maneuvering aerial targets to a state-of-the-art model for entity recognition in cyber threat detection, and an innovative method for real-time flight arrival prediction, these new insights epitomize the remarkable progress being made in the quest for a safer, more efficient, and more resilient air travel experience.

Tracking Aerial Targets

The research paper titled “Adaptive IMM-UKF for Airborne Tracking” presents a novel tracking solution for maneuvering aerial targets. The authors introduce an adaptive interacting multiple model (AIMM) that works in combination with unscented Kalman filters (UKFs), labeled as AIMM-UKF. The newly proposed system is designed to yield more precise estimates, improve the consistency of the tracker, and enhance robust prediction during periods of sensor outages.

The framework is built around two modes: a uniform motion model and a maneuvering model. It rapidly alternates between these two models based on a distance function that adjusts the transition probabilities. To verify the proposed solution’s effectiveness, the authors performed Monte Carlo simulations and compared the AIMM-UKF with ACAS Xa, the upcoming generation of airborne collision avoidance systems, using hypothesis testing of root mean square errors, normalized estimation error squared (NEES), a new proposed noise reduction factor, and an estimated maximum error of the tracker during sensor dropouts.

The experimental results showed the superior performance of the AIMM-UKF in terms of tracking accuracy, consistency, and the expected maximum error, especially in situations involving sudden and abrupt maneuvers and during sensor outages. For uniform linear motion, the performance was consistent with the ACAS Xa. However, for curvilinear trajectories, the AIMM-UKF performed better.

The authors suggest that the findings of their research will benefit the design of target tracking systems, particularly in the fields of counter-UAV technologies and military applications. Future work includes creating a dataset of airspace encounters with ground truth data and observation data, and exploring the incorporation of modern artificial intelligence methods into the proposed framework.

Detecting Cyber Threats

A paper titled “TCFLTformer: TextCNN-Flat-Lattice Transformer for Entity Recognition of Air Traffic Management Cyber Threat Knowledge Graphs” presents a novel method for entity recognition in air traffic management (ATM) cyber threat detection using a model called TextCNN-Flat-Lattice Transformer (TCFLTformer). The researchers developed this model to improve upon traditional machine learning methods and more recent deep learning techniques, which were found to be lacking in recall and accuracy or struggled with capturing both global and local features. The TCFLTformer, with its CNN-Transformer hybrid architecture, first utilizes convolutional neural networks (CNN) to extract local features from the text and then uses a Flat-Lattice Transformer to learn temporal and relative positional characteristics of the text to achieve final annotation results. The model is also designed with a relative positional embedding (RPE) and a multibranch prediction head (MBPH) to enhance deep feature learning and encode position text content information.

The study introduces the ATM Cyber Threat Entity Recognition Datasets (ATMCTERD), containing 13,570 sentences, 497,970 words, and 15,720 token entities collected from international aviation authorities and cybersecurity companies. In tests using these datasets, the TCFLTformer achieved the highest accuracy and precision scores, at 93.31% and 74.29%, respectively, compared to six other Named Entity Recognition (NER) models. Additional experiments were conducted on the MSRA and Boson datasets for a more comprehensive evaluation of the model’s effectiveness.

The researchers conclude that the TCFLTformer shows promise for ATM cyber threat entity recognition, outperforming other popular methods in terms of accuracy and recall. However, they also note that the limited size and scope of the datasets used in this study constitute a potential shortcoming and suggest that future research could use larger datasets and consider other large-scale deep learning models, such as GPT and RWKV, for comparison and analysis.

Real-Time Flight Arrival Predictions

A paper titled “A Data-Light and Trajectory-Based Machine Learning Approach for the Online Prediction of Flight Time of Arrival” presents a new method for predicting flight arrival times in real time while a flight is airborne, specifically the Estimated Time of Arrival at Terminal Airspace Boundary (ETA_TAB) and Estimated Landing Time (ELDT). The method is data-light, meaning it requires minimal data inputs and is easy to implement, and is intended for use by stakeholders like airlines, airports, and air travel app developers who lack access to extensive real-time information.

The method makes use of machine learning techniques and uses only flight trajectory information, specifically latitude, longitude, and speed. The process includes four stages: reconstructing the sequence of trajectory points from the flown trajectory and identifying the most similar historical trajectory; predicting the remaining flight trajectory based on the flown path and the matched historical trajectory using a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network; predicting the flight’s ground speed along its projected path using a Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) model; and predicting ETA_TAB and ELDT using the trajectory and speed predictions.

The LSTM and GBM models used in the method can be trained offline, keeping online computational needs to a minimum. The approach was tested with real-world US flight data, and it was found to perform better than several alternative methods. The simplicity and effectiveness of the method make it attractive to potential users who need real-time ETA prediction but have limited access to data.

Despite the good performance of the approach, the researchers acknowledged that more sophisticated models with access to additional data like airspace congestion and en-route weather conditions could potentially improve the prediction accuracy. Future research could look into including more historical trajectories, incorporating altitude data into the trajectory prediction, and refining the prediction of flight terminal approach time.

Calculating Delays and Predicting Interruptions

In March, we covered a new artificial intelligence technology created as part of a project called Artimation at Mälardalens University (MDU) in Sweden. It aids air traffic controllers by calculating delay lengths and predicting interruptions. “The project results will improve the functionality, acceptance and the reliability of AI systems in general, but also meet global goals such as the improvement of industry, innovation and infrastructure in society,” according to Mobyen Uddin Ahmed, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at MDU.

The post The Latest Research in Air Traffic and Airspace Management appeared first on Avionics International.

One of the primary concerns of airports revolves around the scale and variety of future electric aircraft operations.

Engineering firm WSP has taken the lead in assisting airports in the preparations for electric aircraft. With electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles on the horizon, WSP is working closely with clients to integrate these groundbreaking advancements into their master plans.

A significant project currently underway is WSP’s collaboration with Philadelphia International Airport, where they are incorporating provisions for a state-of-the-art vertiport facility into the airport’s master plan update. This approach demonstrates the airport’s commitment to embracing advanced air mobility and ensuring seamless integration of eVTOLs into their operations.

Additionally, WSP is spearheading the master plan for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, which encompasses the redevelopment of an existing vertiport to accommodate electric aircraft. 

(Photo: City of Dallas)

Gaël Le Bris, Vice President, Aviation Planning and Senior Technical Partner, WSP USA, talked about the firm’s extensive experience in this area during a recent interview with Avionics International. Le Bris brings a unique perspective to the table, with a background in both aeronautical and civil engineering, as well as prior experience as a site development manager for Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport.

“I lead aviation planning and engineering studies across the United States and abroad,” Le Bris shared. “Our main clients are airport operators, research institutions, and flight operators. We work for them on a broad range of issues from strategic advisory to capital project delivery.”

Le Bris emphasized WSP’s commitment to developing comprehensive guidance for advanced mobility (AAM), electric aircraft, and hydrogen technologies. The firm has collaborated with institutions in the U.S. like the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine—and in particular the Transportation Research Board—on groundbreaking research.

“We wrote the first-ever guidance documents to airport practitioners on advanced mobility, electric aircraft, and hydrogen technologies,” Le Bris explained. “They are labeled as research reports, but they offer practical guidance to practitioners.”

WSP’s dedication extends beyond research and academia. The firm actively collaborates with State Departments of Transportation in the U.S., advising them on policies and planning strategies to facilitate the emergence of AAM. WSP also works directly with aviation facility operators to incorporate the necessary infrastructure requirements for the advent of electric aircraft and advanced air mobility.

This includes heliports and vertiports, such as the vertiport in downtown Dallas, as well as conventional hub airports like Philadelphia International Airport. 

Le Bris emphasized that while airports are aware of what’s ahead, there are significant considerations and uncertainties that need to be addressed in order to prepare for eVTOL operations that are expected to commence in 2025.

He highlighted the primary concerns of airports, which revolve around the scale and variety of electric aircraft operations. Whether it’s air taxis with VTOL capabilities, electric regional and urban air mobility, or other types of electric aircraft, airports need to determine the appropriate facilities to accommodate these new technologies.

At present, the majority of aviation facilities are not ready for eVTOL operations, according to Le Bris. However, the timeline for implementation is still a few years away. One limiting factor is the delivery speed of these aircraft. Although there are substantial orders for electric aircraft from OEMs, it will take time to fulfill them. This delay will allow airports to develop realistic planning scenarios and implementation strategies.

One of the challenges in airport planning is the uncertainty surrounding operating cost savings that are often touted by OEMs. While there are claims of 40% lower operating costs compared to traditional aircraft, there is a lack of concrete evidence and benchmarks for the unique services enabled by electric aircraft. These cost considerations ultimately drive demand, and it is essential to establish reliable data before making accurate forecasts.

Rather than relying on quantitative forecasts, WSP focuses on developing reasonable planning scenarios. “instead of trying to do quantitative forecasts that, in my opinion, are very uncertain right now—and not necessarily very reliable—we come up with reasonable planning scenarios,” Le Bris said. “We talk about what kind of operations are expected, and what volume.” 

For instance, the focus may be on urban air mobility (UAM), with eVTOLs shuttling passengers between airports and downtown areas, or on regional mobility that involves electric short take-off and landing (eSTOL) or conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) aircraft. Depending on the scenario, the location of vertiport facilities may vary, with land-side facilities away from the main aircraft operating area for UAM and more integrated airside operations for regional air mobility.

(Photo: Electro.Aero)

Le Bris also discussed other factors to consider, such as energy requirements, power infrastructure, energy resiliency, and the potential use of hydrogen as a power source for fuel-cell electric aircraft. Developing specific supply chains to deliver hydrogen to aviation end-users is a critical consideration in realizing the full potential of these technologies.

By considering different scenarios, addressing uncertainties, and strategically planning infrastructure development, airports can successfully integrate electric aircraft into their operations and capitalize on the promise of advanced air mobility.

During the interview, Le Bris shared insights on how states like Washington, Utah, and North Carolina are actively preparing for the implementation of electric aircraft operations. He highlighted WSP’s involvement in helping these states develop a vision and strategy to facilitate the emergence of these technologies while leveraging them for the benefit of communities.

In the case of Washington State, WSP conducted an electric aviation implementation study to assess different use cases and determine an implementation timeline. The study aimed to identify early policies and programs that would position Washington State at the forefront of electric aviation. Given the presence of OEMs and flight operators in the state, it was crucial to develop strategies that align with their progress.

Similarly, the State of Utah engaged WSP in an AAM implementation study. Beyond timelines and technologies, the study focused on planning policies to direct positive energy around AAM and create services that serve specific use cases and communities throughout the state. Le Bris emphasized the importance of safe and efficient facilities to support the emerging AAM industry.

One specific aspect explored with the state of Utah was the possibility of state departments of transportation (DOTs) issuing minimum standards for vertiport facilities. Currently, there is no federal standard for vertiports, and relevant documents, such as the FAA’s Engineering Brief 105, are at varying stages of maturity. WSP aimed to consolidate existing guidance and provide suggestions on things like vertiport design, power requirements, building codes, aircraft detection, monitoring equipment, and micro weather systems.

Le Bris also referred to a previous engagement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) on the development of NC Move 2050. This long-range vision aimed to combine ground, air, and sea transportation across the state. WSP contributed expertise to help North Carolina envision corridors and routes for small uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) delivery, urban air mobility, and other emerging transportation modes.

Will electric aircraft such as eVTOLs be able to compete with ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft? Rather than competing directly, these kinds of passenger services will actually be complementary, according to Le Bris.

He noted that advanced air mobility (AAM) and mass transit offer distinct forms of transportation and serve different purposes within communities.

Le Bris dismissed the notion that AAM would replace mass transit entirely, highlighting that both play vital roles in meeting diverse mobility needs. Mass transit provides efficient transportation for large numbers of people, while AAM offers local aviation capabilities. The pricing and speed of these services differ significantly, and customers should not expect the cost of an eVTOL ride, particularly one that requires a pilot, to be as affordable as a bus ticket or commuter train ride.

While the price of an eVTOL ride may be higher than traditional transportation options, flying above congested traffic offers a unique value proposition. As an example, Le Bris cited Blade Air Mobility’s operation of conventional helicopters from Manhattan to airports in the New York area, with an airfare price of around $120. If AAM can offer a similar pricing range or even slightly lower costs due to reduced operating expenses, “I think we’re opening a lot of doors here to regular middle-class people being able to afford these things for going to the airport,” he remarked.

In the future, AAM could be even more affordable as a result of automation.

(Photo: Blade)

Earlier this year, Blade Air Mobility and BETA Technologies completed the first test flight of a piloted eVTOL aircraft in the greater New York City area.

One critical factor affecting the cost dynamics of AAM is aircraft certification. Regulatory bodies are adjusting their certification approaches for these innovative aircraft, and their requirements will have a substantial influence on overall costs. Le Bris emphasized that the evolving certification process will shape the future economic landscape of electric aircraft and their competitiveness with traditional taxi services.

Extensive collaboration among stakeholders and regulators is needed in order to realize the full potential of advanced air mobility. There is a need to establish appropriate standards and industry practices while ensuring a realistic and reasonable timeline for implementation. 

Le Bris stressed the significance of an inclusive approach that actively engages local communities, particularly when creating new services for intra-city and intra-urban mobility. To successfully develop vertiports and transform existing heliports into efficient operations facilities, obtaining the support and buy-in of the local community is essential. This collaborative construction of the future of advanced mobility should involve residents and various stakeholders to ensure that their perspectives are considered and valued.

Read more about WSP’s perspective on electric aviation here.

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Aleksis Kajava of Vaisala highlights the importance of monitoring weather conditions in the Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA). Pictured above is a plane landing in a crosswind at Leeds Airport. (Photo credit: Chris Procter)

Efficiency and safety are paramount in the fast-paced world of aviation. Weather conditions play a crucial role in flight operations, often causing delays, rerouting, and increased fuel consumption. To address these challenges, Vaisala, a leader in weather awareness technology, is harnessing the power of remote sensing to enhance weather observations and build a more sustainable future for aviation.

The Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA) is the busiest part of flight operations, where weather-related incidents and delays frequently occur. While regulatory Automated Weather Observing Systems (AWOS) cover the airport area, they do not extend to the TMA, leaving critical gaps in weather awareness. These gaps can result in suboptimal flight approaches or departures, landing difficulties, and increased emissions.

Vaisala’s approach goes beyond airport boundaries by utilizing various remote sensing technologies, including radar, wind LiDAR, lightning detection, and decision support software. This combination enables total weather awareness and high-resolution nowcasting in the TMA, enabling safety and efficiency. These advancements are particularly significant in an industry grappling with environmental concerns.

In a recent interview with Avionics International, Aleksis Kajava, Sales Director of Weather and Environment for Europe and Latin America at Vaisala, emphasized the importance of enhancing weather observations in the TMA. The company’s state-of-the-art remote sensing equipment enables monitoring of storms, lightning, precipitation, winds, icing, and various severe weather conditions not only at the airport but also around it. By providing such comprehensive data, Vaisala’s solutions benefit airlines such as Saudia by improving flight safety and efficiency, ultimately contributing to the sustainability of aviation.

Aleksis Kajava, Sales Director, Weather and Environment, Europe and Latin America (Vaisala)

“At the end of the day, it’s about the end user, but of course, the air traffic controller is the intermediary there,” Kajava remarked.

Fuel efficiency is a critical aspect of sustainability in aviation. Accurate weather information in the TMA allows aircraft to avoid adverse weather conditions such as turbulence and storms, which might necessitate deviations from flight plans. By equipping airlines and air traffic control with precise information, unnecessary fuel burn due to rerouting to alternative airports can be prevented. Similarly, avoiding long delays in departure reduces fuel consumption. Safety is another vital factor—making the right decisions, such as rerouting or holding aircraft, helps prevent accidents and equipment damage. By enhancing safety, Vaisala’s technology contributes to overall sustainability in the aviation industry.

“Radar, lidar, lightning detection, and decision support software combine for total weather awareness and high-resolution nowcasting.” (Vaisala)

“You may be able to avoid directing flights to holding patterns and burning fuel while in the holding or circling pattern,” said Kajava. “Sometimes you need to make tough decisions like putting the aircraft in a holding pattern or asking the pilot to do another landing to ensure the safety of the flight.”

Noise reduction is an additional benefit derived from accurate weather information. Temperature inversions, wind patterns, and other conditions impact aircraft noise levels. By optimizing runway selection and flight paths based on precise weather data, Vaisala’s technology allows customers to minimize the noise impact on nearby communities, thereby mitigating noise pollution.

(Photo: Shutterstock / Samuel Acosta)

Regarding recent technological advancements, Kajava highlighted several innovations developed by Vaisala. One is a new version of their laser-based wind measurement equipment, capable of three-dimensional wind measurements within a 10-kilometer range around the airport. The company has also introduced an enhanced weather radar specifically designed for measuring severe conditions in airport surroundings. Furthermore, a new family of ceilometers has been developed, enabling the measurement of icing conditions during approaches. Vaisala’s continuous improvements also extend to the user interface, ensuring enhanced data visualization.

Recently launched, Vaisala’s humidity profiler measures the humidity of the atmosphere, which significantly improves short-term weather forecasting around airports. While the humidity profile itself may not be highly relevant, Kajava explained that the enhanced short-term forecasts resulting from this technology significantly benefit thunderstorm weather forecasting. Vaisala collaborates with specialized partners in aviation weather forecasting to explore new tools and applications that leverage this equipment for more precise short-term forecasts.

The newest addition to Vaisala’s family of solid-state radars is the WRS300. (Photo: Vaisala)

Vaisala’s strategic priorities revolve around continuous technology improvement for monitoring weather using remote sensing equipment. The company works closely with internal and external stakeholders to provide operational decision-making information in the most useful format for aviation users. We are helping our customers not just to buy the technology but also to leverage it,” Kajava added.

Vaisala’s equipment is deployed in over 2,000 medium and large-sized airports worldwide. With a presence in 170 countries, the company’s impact on weather monitoring is extensive. Headquartered in Finland, Vaisala has a workforce of over 2,000 employees. 

While the development of advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft like drones and air taxis is being pitched as an advancement of logistical support to move cargo and people, a project from university researchers and NASA could allow these aircraft to create more accurate weather predictions.

Researchers at Oklahoma State University have received funding from NASA to improve real-time forecasting of low-level winds and turbulence. This research project, which started in 2020, aims to ensure operational safety for drones in urban and rural environments.

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Aloft Technologies just announced a new set of developer tools that allow third parties to interface seamlessly with the Aloft platform for LAANC integrations, custom map layers, and more. (Photos: Aloft)

This week, Aloft Technologies unveiled a suite of developer tools designed to streamline interactions with their platform. This expands the possibilities for third-party integration, allowing developers to seamlessly incorporate Aloft’s LAANC, airspace, and fleet management capabilities into their own software. With a strong emphasis on safety, compliance, and efficiency, Aloft’s new offerings are poised to revolutionize the drone industry’s development and integration into the national airspace system (NAS).

Aloft has added native LAANC integrations to its growing array of airspace and fleet management developer solutions. Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC), a system developed by the FAA in collaboration with private industry, takes center stage in Aloft’s latest release. 

LAANC ensures near real-time processing of airspace authorizations for drones flying below 400 feet in controlled airspace. It fosters the shared use of airspace, enhances safety, and helps operators adhere to FAA regulations. Aloft’s new tools provide FAA-approved developer partners with LAANC access, representing a significant stride towards streamlining airspace authorization and bolstering compliance, safety, and expanded market reach.

The Aloft platform powered more than 37,000 LAANC airspace requests for its users in September—making up more than 84% of the total LAANC requests received by the FAA that month. 

This week’s release includes a host of powerful developer tools such as fleet management and airspace APIs, along with map tile services. These tools enable third-party developers to connect and interact with Aloft’s secure data services, facilitating the visualization of airspace and other map data layers. Developers gain access to industry-leading capabilities that align with the surging demand for advanced drone technology solutions. The integration of these tools into existing systems promises increased efficiency, safety, and compliance across a range of drone operations.

Jon Hegranes, CEO and founder of Aloft, remarked on the announcement, saying, “The aviation landscape is evolving rapidly, and uncrewed aircraft systems are a fundamental part of that change. By providing developers with the tools to integrate seamlessly with the Aloft platform, we are enhancing the safety, compliance, and efficiency of the national airspace system.”

Aloft is an FAA-approved UAS Service Supplier (USS) for LAANC and holds an exclusive public-private partnership with the FAA to power B4UFLY. Aloft’s platform is utilized by enterprise and government customers worldwide to access innovative UTM and fleet management services for unmanned aircraft systems. 

In an interview with Avionics International, Hegranes explained that they have been considering how to create more capabilities to increase LAANC compliance rates. Aloft published findings last year that estimated LAANC authorization was provided for only 20 to 30% of drone flights taking place in controlled airspace.

“We now have the ability to enable other developers to use Aloft to get LAANC,” he told Avionics. “I would equate this checking out on a website using PayPal; you’re using a trusted party that has those sorts of capabilities. In this case, we have FAA approval. You start to be able to put your technology in a lot of different places.”

He added that it’s becoming more difficult and costly to be a USS, pointing to the recent announcement from AirMap that it is closing its UAS traffic management app after already shutting down its LAANC service. AirMap’s UTM app will not be available beyond late June.

“There are FAA audits and security requirements, besides just the technical application of providing this utility,” Hegranes noted. “No hardware manufacturers offer LAANC.” 

“Now, there’s a potential for different application providers, whether it’s software or hardware, to put LAANC right into their applications, and enable users in a much simpler fashion to get LAANC, because now the distribution of the technology can be (if all goes well) in so many other applications.”

“It’s a groundbreaking capability that I think is going to do a lot for safety and for compliance,” he added. “It is really a testament to all the work that we’re doing and the efforts of the FAA to say, ‘How do we keep improving the LAANC system to provide more capabilities?’ It’s never been done before, so this is pretty exciting.”

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Volatus Aerospace chose Inmarsat’s Velaris solution for expansion of its customer offerings in key sectors. (Photo: Inmarsat)

Volatus Aerospace recently selected Inmarsat’s Velaris solution to expand offerings for its customers in public safety, drone cargo delivery, inspection, and other sectors.

The integration of Velaris’ satellite connectivity for small, remotely piloted aircraft and larger crewed commercial aircraft will help to ensure safe operations in all environments.

Inmarsat has been involved in commercial air transport for more than 30 years. Its solutions are used in commercial aircraft like those of Airbus and Boeing for communication, navigation, and surveillance as well as for air traffic control and ensuring separation standards.

This technology plays a crucial role in air traffic control and separation standards, ensuring optimal efficiency and safety during transatlantic flights. However, these solutions have traditionally been bulky and expensive.

Recognizing the need to adapt and miniaturize their technology for UAVs (uncrewed aerial vehicles), Inmarsat embarked on a mission to bring their proven connectivity solutions to the world of unmanned aviation. By shrinking their technology down to roughly 400 grams and significantly reducing costs, Inmarsat has created Velaris—an innovative ecosystem built around miniaturized satellite connectivity. Velaris not only offers a resilient solution for UAVs but also opens up new possibilities for data products and services.

“Our vision was to bring the best of what we’ve got into this space and then to develop that new product and market with [companies] like Volatus and Supernal,” Anthony Spouncer, Senior Director of UAV and UTM at Inmarsat, told Avionics. 

Volatus operates across various sectors, including pipeline and powerline inspections. These tasks typically involve helicopters and human personnel, presenting challenges such as high costs, weather restrictions, and limited operational hours. By leveraging Velaris, Volatus aims to enhance efficiency, extend operational range, and ensure safety in these critical operations.

“If you can get that type of technology with no one on board, but still maintain the integrity and the safety, then you can be a lot more efficient,” Spouncer commented.

The collaboration between Inmarsat and Volatus also extends to other areas. Volatus is actively exploring opportunities in the delivery market, particularly autonomous cargo transportation. With some platforms capable of flying for up to 48 hours, Volatus envisions using electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles to transport cargo between cities and regions. This integration of Velaris technology could revolutionize logistics, enabling the swift and efficient delivery of goods to remote communities and warehouses.

Spouncer remarked that safety “is at the heart of what we’re trying to achieve.”

He also talked about how the enhanced connectivity resulting from Inmarsat’s satellite connectivity combined with LTE as a multilink capability will enable Volatus to overcome the challenges associated with beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations.

The challenge with traditional visual line-of-sight operations is that you can only fly a drone or UAV as long as you can see it, he explained. To cover longer distances, you would need one or more individuals stationed further down the flight path. However, the introduction of enhanced connectivity and BVLOS capabilities addresses these challenges. 

Firstly, it is key to trust the technology and ensure continuous connectivity so that the operator knows the exact location of the UAV even if it deviates from the flight plan. Secondly, strategic and tactical deconfliction become possible. As demonstrated by Inmarsat during a UAV flight in Turkey, air traffic control located miles away in London was able to monitor the airspace and notify the pilot to change course when an aircraft approached the UAV. “Now, you can be anywhere and still know where [the aircraft] is,” Spouncer said.

Additionally, UAVs themselves need to incorporate detect-and-avoid technologies to navigate safely, considering factors like weather conditions. The decision-making processes that human pilots naturally perform need to be replicated within the UAV’s systems. Setting a flight plan and having proper identification becomes crucial. Ensuring the accountability of all aircraft in the sky and mitigating risks posed by malicious actors are important aspects to consider. Also, cybersecurity measures are essential when controlling vehicles through communications. Inmarsat has extensive experience and capabilities in this area due to its work with commercial air transport aircraft.

Collaborating with companies like Volatus, Inmarsat assists in developing their concept of operations and refining the performance of its own systems accordingly. BVLOS operations offer numerous opportunities and advantages in terms of economics and expanded services, Spouncer noted.

By leveraging Inmarsat’s enhanced connectivity and BVLOS capabilities, Volatus Aerospace can overcome the challenges associated with BVLOS operation of UAVs. This opens up a realm of opportunities, allowing for expanded services and heightened safety measures.

“Supernal is pleased to collaborate with Inmarsat to test the feasibility of integrating space-based and terrestrial data links to serve the Advanced Air Mobility industry.” – Ben Diachun, Chief Technology Officer, Supernal (Photo: Inmarsat/Supernal)

Inmarsat shared news of another partnership on May 9 with eVTOL developer Supernal to define the application of satellite connectivity for advanced air mobility, or AAM. Spouncer remarked that Supernal’s approach is particularly refreshing. “They’re fully aware that they’ve got to be safety compliant, and that they want to work with us and develop that,” he said.

For Inmarsat’s part in the collaboration, they will focus on conducting testing and data sharing to optimize hardware and network systems to get safe and efficient integration. “I think what’s interesting for us is what sort of data they will need, the timeliness of that, which data products, and how they want to integrate that information into their system to be safe and resilient,” he explained.

Speaking about the AAM industry in general, he added, “We’re in this collaboration phase where we want the industry to work. If it doesn’t work for one of us, it doesn’t work for any of us, so everyone’s keen to open up the industry in a safe and controlled manner.”

Last week, Avionics published news about Inmarsat’s new and improved Jet ConneX (JX) in-flight broadband solution for business aviation. The company’s new service plans offer high-quality connectivity and leverage the JetWave terminal from Honeywell.

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Echodyne is the newest member of the OneSky Future of Flight Program. (Photo: OneSky/Echodyne)

OneSky recently announced Echodyne as a new member of the OneSky Future of Flight Program. This is a coalition of stakeholders in the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry working towards scalable AAM operations.

Echodyne’s MESA radar technology plays a crucial role in providing high-precision airspace data for the AAM industry, addressing the challenge of format and affordability. By miniaturizing large defense radar performance into a compact, commercially-priced format, Echodyne offers exceptional situational awareness to manufacturers and operators of small uncrewed vehicles as well as to UTM providers and ground stations. 

The partnership aims to enhance operational safety and enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations by integrating Echodyne’s radar data with OneSky’s UTM platform. The Future of Flight Program, with Echodyne as a key partner, envisions a collaborative effort to deliver total situational awareness for UAS operators and further advancements in airspace deconfliction.

In an interview with Avionics International, Michael Tornetta from OneSky and Leo McCloskey from Echodyne shed light on the collaboration and on their respective platforms. Check out our Q&A with Tornetta, Head of Sales and Strategic Growth at OneSky, and McCloskey, VP of Marketing at Echodyne, below:

Avionics: How does Echodyne’s MESA radar technology contribute to high-precision airspace data for the AAM industry?

Leo McCloskey, Echodyne: Airspace safety centers on situational awareness built upon data fidelity. Radar is the essential data foundation. No other sensor deconflicts both cooperative and noncooperative airspace traffic. The challenge is not the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry’s desire for high-performance radar, but rather format and affordability. 

The primary hurdle for extending radar beyond traditional defense and national security applications has been largely fitness for market: AAM requires tracking hundreds of small objects at relatively close range, whereas traditional radar focuses on jets, missiles, and ships at great distance. 

Echodyne’s innovative metamaterials electronic scanning array (MESA) technology is the first to miniaturize large defense radar performance into a compact, solid-state, commercially-priced format, delivering exceptional airspace situational awareness performance for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturers, ground stations, UAS traffic management (UTM) providers, and unmanned aircraft system (UAS) mission operators. Echodyne’s MESA technology delivers national security radar performance at commercial prices. 

What led Echodyne to join the OneSky Future of Flight Program?

McCloskey: The Future of Flight program represents the cooperative energy required to solve the highly complex challenge of ensuring safety when dozens, hundreds, even thousands of other novel aircraft operate in dense airspace over population. For this to be possible, a huge amount of data will need to be consumed by operators and autopilots. 

UAS traffic management (UTM) as a concept is pivotal to airspace safety, with data fidelity creating ever safer and more numerous AAM operations. OneSky’s UTM platform is built on extraordinary data fidelity of operational areas, with the level of accuracy required to detail high performance radar data. We’re excited to contribute to OneSky’s Future of Flight vision.

EchoFlight radars on AATI (American Aerospace Technology Inc.) aircraft (Photo: Echodyne)

Could you discuss the specific benefits that Echodyne’s ground-based and airborne radar solutions bring to aircraft operators in terms of deconfliction capabilities?

McCloskey: Airspace safety is all about data fidelity. A “something is over that way” level of accuracy is grossly insufficient to the mission requirement of detecting, classifying, and tracking dozens and hundreds of small and large aircraft moving about in congested airspace. Echodyne radar brings defense- and national security-level accuracy to commercial markets in commercial formats for the first time. 

The regulations that will outline performance requirements for industry remain uncertain and perhaps not as close as industry might like. Still, a few things are becoming clear: 

1. It’s unlikely that small drones (<55 pounds) will have the payload or power capability for even the smallest radars, leading many to conclude the answer is a data utility that integrates sensors into UTM solutions for single screen flight management. 
2. Larger aircraft for flying people and goods are highly likely to require much more sophisticated sensors on the aircraft, with operational safety also benefiting from ground sensors and UTM solutions. 
3. Lifecycle management and maintenance of this infrastructure will be important, with clear benefits for solid-state radar like Echodyne’s. 

In what ways does the integration of Echodyne’s radar data into the OneSky system enhance operational safety and enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations?

McCloskey: Single pane of glass flight management is important for minimizing operator distraction. UTM represents the higher-level collection of all available data, from filed flight plans to data from lower-level components such as Remote ID, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), and radar. OneSky’s UTM precision aligns well with Echodyne’s data accuracy to provide operators with the data fidelity that ensures AAM mission safety and success. 

“We seek out the key industry players that we feel provide the biggest value to these stakeholders.” (Photo: OneSky)

How does the Future of Flight program benefit from partnerships with innovative companies like Echodyne?

Michael Tornetta, OneSky: As the industry, regulatory environment, and our customers evolve, it will be imperative that our technology works “out of the box” with all the systems that will be part of the AAM/UAM (urban air mobility) ecosystem. Obviously, we can’t cover everything all at once, so we seek out the key industry players that we feel provide the biggest value to these stakeholders, and we start collaboration exercises as early as possible.

The rapport we build with our partners then extends to more collaborative business development, and as partners, we build on our combined success. This brings tremendous value to the end customers because now they have essentially two trusted advisors who double as their technology providers/vendors, and they can bonus off our combined experience and industry knowledge.

Can you explain how the combined systems of OneSky and Echodyne provide total situational awareness for UAS operators and enable more advanced airspace deconfliction?

Tornetta: One of the functions of the OneSky UAS Traffic Management (UTM) platform and OneSky Operations Center is to provide airspace visualization. The total air picture needs relevant GIS data, aeronautical information, weather data, etc. The next layer is to capture, display, and record what’s actually moving in the airspace. We can do this by pulling in data feeds from the drone’s ground control system (GCS) so we know where “you” are, but we need other data feeds to determine the heading and location of other aircraft.

Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) feeds from available sources, and surveillance tracks from systems like Echodyne’s help complete this air picture. The OneSky systems then provide alerts, warnings, and other capabilities to inform the flight authorization process.

Looking ahead, what are the future plans or developments that OneSky envisions through the Future of Flight Program, particularly in collaboration with Echodyne?

Tornetta: OneSky and Echodyne are just getting started. We have at least one customer in common right now and are teaming up on a handful of others for later this year.

I envision that we will continue to integrate more of the Echodyne portfolio of detect and avoid (DAA) products, as well as improve upon the existing integrations.

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